Water lily plant named &#39;Purple Fantasy&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nymphaea  water lily plant characterized by its purple flowers, growth habit, rhizome, and cold hardiness.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Nymphaea

VARIETAL NAME

‘Purple Fantasy’

My new variety resulted from an intentional cross of Nymphaea ‘Bernice Ikins’ (unpatented, seed parent) and Nymphaea ‘109’ (an unpatented Florida Aquatic Nurseries developed hybrid variety, pollen parent).

The cross that resulted in the seed for this plant was made in Davie, Broward County, Fla. in 2011. My new plant was first asexually propagated by rhizome division in Davie, Fla. in 2012. Since then, reproduction of this plant by rhizome division in Davie, Fla. has confirmed that the new variety of water lily is a stable hybrid. That is, no evidence of off-types of the new variety has been observed. Thus, the new variety is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

My new variety is distinguished by purple flowers in combination with a growth habit, rhizome, and cold hardiness typical of ‘Bernice Ikins’.

Comparison to parents: The seed parent ‘Bernice Ikins’ has a pink to red flower. The new variety differs from the seed parent by having a flower that is purple in color and more stellate in shape. Also, the sinus gap of my new variety is much wider in the leaf than the sinus gap of ‘Bernice Ikins’. The new variety differs from the pollen parent Nymphaea ‘109’ by having a flower shape that is more stellate with fewer flower petals. The leaves of my new variety are thicker than those of Nymphaea ‘109’ and resemble leaves of ‘Bernice Ikins’ in texture. The pedicel and peduncle of my new variety are pubescent similar to those in subgenus nymphaea. My new plant spreads by a rhizome like the seed plant ‘Bernice Ikins’. My new plant is also cold hardy like the seed parent.

Insofar as I am aware, there has been no purple cold hardy Nymphaea water lily available for the water garden market. Water lilies of the subgenus brachyceras are known to have purple flowers, but brachyceras lily plants are not cold hardy.

The description herein is of progeny of the original plant that have been observed growing under cultivation in Davie, Fla.

Certain characteristics of this variety, such as growth and color, may change with changing environmental conditions (e.g., light, temperature, moisture, nutrient availability, or other factors). Color descriptions and other terminology are used in accordance with their ordinary dictionary descriptions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Color designations are made with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart, copyright 1986.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a close up view of a flower and number of leaves of a plant of my new variety.

FIG. 2 is an even closer view of one flower of my new variety.

FIG. 3 is a close up view of a portion of a flower of my new variety.

FIG. 4 is a top view of one leaf of a water lily plant of my new variety.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of one leaf of a water lily plant of my new variety.

FIG. 6 is a view of a plant of my new variety showing a portion of its rhizome.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the invention based on observations of a water lily plant of my new variety that resulted from asexual propagation by rhizome division in Davie, Fla. Characteristics described below are based on observations of a one-year old plant growing in a dirt bottom concrete tank in Davie, Fla.

-   Plant: -   Origin: From a lily breeding program carried out in Davie, Broward     County, Fla. -   Parentage:     -   -   Seed parent.—Nymphaea ‘Bernice Ikins’.         -   Pollen parent.—Nymphaea ‘109’. -   Commercial classification: Ornamental Water Lily Plant. Vigor:     Normal vigor for a Nymphaea water lily. A one-year old plant     typically covers an overall area of 3-4 feet on the surface of a     pond when grown at Davie, Fla.     -   -   Age at maturity.—One-year. -   Foliage:     -   -   Stem color.—Upper surface: Green 146 A; lower surface: Green             RHS 146 A.         -   Leaf stems.—Flexible.         -   Leaf stem diameter.—7 mm to 12 mm.         -   Foliage.—Typical number of leaves per plant is 8.         -   Shape of leaf.—Overall: Round; Base: Open sinus at base;             Apex: round. Shape and depth of any slit: v-shaped, ⅓ the             diameter of the leaf. Sinus at base of leaf: Typical 11 cm             at base becoming connected at petiole.         -   Margins.—Mostly smooth with slight serrations.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Typically in a circular pattern on the             surface of the water. Leaves appear to come alternately off             the rhizome.         -   Typical leaf size.—Approximately 20 cm to 26 cm in diameter.         -   Venation pattern.—Not readily evident on the surface of             leaf, but raised in appearance on the underside of the leaf.         -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth; Lower surface: Smooth with             exposed venation.         -   Pubescence on leaves or stems.—Stems: Pubescent. Color of             pubescence: White RHS 156 D.         -   Leaf color.—Upper surface of leaf: Green RHS 137 A. Lower             surface of leaf: Olive Green RHS 146 B. -   Flower: -   Blooming habit: Blooms continuously throughout the summer months. Up     to as many as 3 flowers open at one time. -   Bud:     -   -   Size.—About 55 mm long and 20 mm in diameter when the petals             start to unfurl.         -   Form.—The bud form is long, pointed, ovoid.         -   Color.—When sepals first divide, bud color is Green RHS 83             A; when half open, the upper sides of the petals are Purple             RHS 83 A in the center of the flower and Purple RHS 83 A on             the edges; and the lower sides of the petals are Purple RHS             83 A. -   Sepals: Number: 4. Color: Upper (inner) surface: Purple RHS 86 B.     Lower (outer) surface: Green RHS 137 A. Length: 55 to 65 mm. Width:     20 mm. Shape: Generally triangular, with a squared base and acute     tip. Surface texture: Smooth with slight vertical ribbing. There are     4 appendaged sepals. -   Receptacle: Color: Yellow RHS 8 A. Shape: circular disc. Size:     Typical: 1.5 cm diameter, about 15 mm long×15 mm wide. Surface:     rough. -   Peduncle: Length: Typical: 20 cm. Surface: Pubescent. Color: Green     RHS 146 B. Strength: Stiff. -   Bloom:     -   -   Height.—Approximately 25 cm from the water surface to the             top of the flowers.         -   Size.—On average, when fully open (unfurled), diameter is             about 14 to 16 cm.         -   Borne.—1 flower per stem.         -   Flower stems.—Strength: Stiff. Average length depends upon             water depth. In 15 cm of water, average length is 30 cm,             diameter about 7 to 10 mm. Color of flower stems: Green RHS             146 B.         -   Form.—Bloom is a semi-circle with sepals lying flat parallel             to the water surface (Bloom is generally round when             unfurled, petals on edges). Permanence: Retains its form to             the end; outer petal edges curl slightly -   Petals:     -   -   Length.—Typical: 6 cm.         -   Width.—Typical: 15 mm.         -   Thickness.—Typical: Less than 1 mm.         -   Surface texture.—Upper Surface: Smooth; Lower Surface:             Smooth.         -   Margin.—Smooth.         -   Apex shape.—Blunt point.         -   Base shape.—Flat.         -   Form.—Slightly cupped with tips slightly recurved.         -   Number.—Number of petals per flower under normal conditions:             30 to 33.         -   Color.—The upper surfaces of the petals are Purple RHS 86 A             in the center of the flower and Purple RHS 86 A on the edges             of the flower. The under surfaces of the petals are Purple             RHS 86 B. Variegations: None.         -   Discoloration.—No fading over time.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant with a fruity rose like character. -   Days to bloom: Flowers approximately 30 days after planting in pond     under typical natural growing conditions of 20° Celsius night time     temperatures. -   Reproductive parts:     -   -   Stamens.—Shape: Lance-like. Number: 55 to 60. Length: 10 to             25 mm. Anthers: Length: 8 to 15 mm. Color: Purple RHS 79 B.             Arrangement: Layered around the circular stigmatic disc.             Filaments: Color: Yellow RHS 15 B. Length: 5 to 10 mm.             Pollen: Color: Yellow RHS 9 A.         -   Pistils.—Number: 1. Color: Yellow RHS 10 A. Length: 10 mm.         -   Styles.—Color: yellow RHS 8 A. Length: 1 to 2 mm.         -   Stigmas.—Color: Yellow — RHS 8 A. Length: 1 mm. -   The fruit: Infertile; no fruit. -   Cold hardiness: Observed to be cold hardy in USDA Zone 106, not yet     tested in other hardiness zones. -   Pest and disease tolerance: The new cultivar is typical of the     genus. No known unusual resistances to pests or diseases. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of water lily, substantially as herein shown and described. 